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Labour Regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Gabriel Espi-Sanchis, Murray Leibbrandt and Vimal Ranchhod
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Gabriel Espi-Sanchis: SALDRU, University of Cape Town

No 308, SALDRU Working Papers from Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town

Abstract: This chapter engages with the issue of labour regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa, describing variation in regulatory regimes and discussing how well they align with the realities and needs of different countries’ labour markets. We review evidence on the historical origins of regulation and how it has persisted over time, and map the contemporary prevalence of different forms of regulation. The connection between this regulation and countries’ employment contexts is then discussed, focusing on the issues of compliance and the effects of labour regulation. This discussion is informed by the use of three case studies with contrasting legal histories and employment contexts: Ghana, South Africa and Senegal. Despite the vast majority of employment being informal in most SSA countries, we find that much regulation still revolves around the formally employed. We argue that regulation needs to be more tailored around the particular characteristics of each country’s labour market.

Keywords: Labour regulation; labour policy; Sub-Saharan Africa; informal employment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-iue
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